Motor vehicle front steerable axis with torsion bar stabilizer

Abstract

A front axle of a motor vehicle has steerable wheels and is equipped with a torsion-bar stabilizer to improve the returnability of the steering without a large amount of additional technical expenditure. Connecting arms connect the wheel carriers to the offset ends of the torsion-bar stabilizer with the joint of the connecting arms which is on the wheel-carrier side articulated in the respective steering axis on the wheel carrier. During movement of the wheel carriers about the steering axis, the connecting arms can be swivelled via the wheel carriers, in the same direction as the wheel carriers and counter to a flexible restoring support situated in the connection of the torsion-bar stabilizer to the respective connecting arm. The restoring support between connecting arms and torsion-bar end pieces provided by a rubber torsion bearing produces a restoring torque which is proportional to the steering angle and improves the returnability of the steering.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A steerable motor-vehicle front axle, comprising a wheel carrier guided by upper and lower transverse links, a torsion-bar stabilizer with a torsion bar operatively arranged at a vehicle superstructure side and having an offset piece at each end, a connecting arm operatively connected with each wheel of the front axle between the stabilizer and the wheel carrier and having a lower end to which is secured, via means for providing an articulated torsional rubber bearing connection, an associated one of the offset pieces such that a steering restoring torque changes proportionally to a change in steering angle, and an upper end of the connecting arm operatively connected with the wheel carrier and with means for providing an articulated torsional rubber bearing connection in the steering axis of the associated wheel on the wheel carrier, wherein the connecting arm is arranged to be swivelled about the steering axis via the wheel carrier, in the same direction as the wheel carrier, counter to a flexible restoring support situated in the connection of the torsion-bar stabilizer to the connecting arm. 
     
     
       2. The axle according to claim 1, wherein the connecting arm is arc-shaped. 
     
     
       3. The axle according to claim 1, wherein the articulation of the connecting arm on the wheel carrier is swivellable.